


Protection

by SNES_Trumpets



Category: Lupin III
Genre: Blood, Established Relationship, Forehead Kisses, Goemon's injured in this one, Hurt/Comfort, Jigen worries about Goemon, M/M, Mild Gore, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:15:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24826675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SNES_Trumpets/pseuds/SNES_Trumpets
Summary: Goemon gets shot while protecting Jigen. Jigen cares for him and helps him feel better with forehead kisses.
Relationships: Ishikawa Goemon XIII/Jigen Daisuke
Comments: 8
Kudos: 77





	Protection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kenapiece](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenapiece/gifts).



Goemon barely felt the bullet as it bit into his side. He hissed as a second bullet whizzed past him, grazing his cheek. Stumbling forward, he plunged zantetsuken into the soil to steady himself, blood pouring from his side and splattering on the ground. 

“Please do not harm him,” he gasped. 

“You don’t want me to harm him?” His attacker raised an eyebrow, scratched the back of his neck with his pistol. Jigen lay at the strangers feet, unconscious, bleeding and bruised, but not severely injured. The man kicked, his steel toe boot smashing into Jigen’s side. Goemon was sure he heard the crack of Jigen’s ribs.

Goemon forced his legs to step forward, still using zantetsuken as a crutch. Blood trailed behind him, seeping into the dirt. He hacked up a mouthful of blood, but he refused to stop. His legs felt like lead, black spots swarmed his vision and he slumped, leaning on his sword so heavily he thought it might snap in two. “Stop,” he said, his voice weak and hoarse. 

The man sneered, the scar running down his face stretching, and lifted his leg to deal a second kick. Goemon forced himself to take another step, the trees surrounding him swaying. He choked up another mouthful of blood and spat it in the direction of the man. In one last push, Goemon forced himself to run up to the man, lifting his sword in shaking hands and plunging it deep into the man’s chest. He withdrew the blade, gore splashing on Goemon’s face, across his clothes. The man’s last breath was harsh and guttural, blood bubbling up his throat and pouring out from his lips. He pulled the trigger a third time, the bullet flying a few centimetres from Goemon's arm, and then crumpled, hitting the floor with a squelch. 

Goemon stepped back, his legs threatening to give out. He gazed up at the full moon, vaguely aware of the sound of zantetsuken clattering to the ground, his breaths shallow. His eyes wandered, taking in the fir trees surrounding him until they settled on Jigen. “Oh,” he croaked before slumping to the ground. 

***

The first thing Jigen felt when he woke up was akin to the sensation of his head being split in two by an icepick. He groaned, slowly opening his eyes and immediately shielding them from the rising sun. Clutching the side of his chest, he slowly eased himself into a sitting position, inhaling sharply through his teeth at the stinging pain in his ribs. Then he winced at the pain inhaling so sharply caused. 

“G-Goemon?” he wheezed, spotting the samurai laying on the ground nearby. Then he saw the blood pooled around him, staining his clothes. “Goemon!” 

He rushed to his side, flipping him onto his back. Goemon coughed weakly, his whole face screwed up in pain. His eyes fluttered open. “J-Jigen?” 

“Goemon, where’d he shoot you?” Jigen asked, heart pounding as he desperately searched for the source of all the blood seeping into Goemon’s clothes. 

“I could not protect you… I’m sorry...” 

“Don’t apologise,” Jigen said, finally locating the source of the blood and pressing his jacket against the bullet wound and slowing the flow of blood. 

Luckily, the flow of blood seemed to stop quickly. Jigen relaxed, the tension ebbing away from his shoulders, and shifted the bandages around Goemon’s torso so they were wrapped tighter around the gunshot wound. Jigen sat back, wiping sweat from his brow. “I think that shoulda done it. Pretty sure the bullet missed your vitals, but he still got you good, man.” 

Goemon eyes were squeezed shut in pain. “I… I hate to ask this of you, Jigen, but I… might need help standing.” He blushed. Jigen nodded, hooking an arm underneath Goemon’s back and easing him up into a sitting position, his ribs screaming at the effort it took. 

“It’s okay, man. Let’s get you somewhere safe,” Jigen murmured as he picked Goemon up, holding him bridal style. Pain shot through his chest, his ribs stinging and straining from the effort, but he forced himself to keep going, pine needles and autumn leaves crunching beneath his feet. “Should be a cabin nearby. Spotted it on the way up here.” 

“Mm,” was all Goemon said. 

“We could stay there for the night and wait for Lupin to pick us up in the morning,” Jigen continued, a desperate edge to his voice. If he remained quiet, he felt Goemon might close his eyes and... He shook the terrible thought from his mind, and continued rambling. “Might be some cigarettes there or a first-aid kit or something… And, speak of the devil, there it is.”

Shrouded by fir trees, a log cabin sat near a river. Jigen made his way to the door, passing by a spot for a campfire surrounded by log seats. The door to the cabin took a bit of force to budge, opening stiffly. The inside of the cabin had an earthy smell, laced with old coffee and wild flowers. There was a single bed at the far end, a couch on the left, and some cupboards and a worktable on the right. Jigen lowered Goemon down onto the bed, pulling the sheets up to his armpits. He planted a kiss on Goemon’s forehead. “Rest, now. I’ll see if there’s anything to eat here.” 

Rummaging around in the cupboards, Jigen found some three bottles of water, some dried meat, half a can of instant coffee, and a few cans of tomato soup. There was also a portable kerosene stove that looked like it should work, along with a saucepan. There was a first-aid kit, but Goemon seemed stable enough and Jigen didn't want to risk opening his wounds by tearing off his current bandages. He hauled his finds into the empty space in the middle of the cabin, sitting down on the wooden floor with a grunt of pain. With a little effort, he managed to get the stove lit, pouring two cans of the tomato soup into the saucepan and setting it upon the flames. 

Sitting back and lighting a cigarette, he gazed over to the bed. Goemon’s face was serene, pale, and for a moment Jigen worried he might have died, his heart lurching. The soft rise and fall of Goemon’s chest contradicted those worries. He relaxed and took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling plumes of smoke from his nose. The tomato soup seemed to be ready, so he turned off the stove and opened the cupboard again to fish out two chipped bowls. He poured soup into one of the bowls and stood up, setting the bowl down on the small table next to Goemon’s bed.

“Goemon?” he called, his voice soft, tender. He swore under his breath and put out his cigarette, not wanting Goemon to breathe any smoke while he was injured. “Goemon, I got ya some food.”

Goemon didn't stir. He whimpered in his sleep, face screwed up. 

"Oh." Jigen shoved one hand in his pocket and scratched the back of his neck with the other. His heart ached as Goemon whimpered more, lashing out and thrashing around, causing the blankets to slip from the bed. Jigen placed a gentle hand on Goemon's shoulder and winced at the heat radiating from the samurai. "Goemon? C’’mon, man, wake up."

"Nnngh… J-Jigen?" Goemon’s breathing came in ragged, shallow pants. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his hair hanging in his eyes, slick with the sweat. 

"You okay, Goemon?" Jigen asked, voice laced with concern. He bent down, hissing at the pain in his ribs, and helped Goemon sit up, rubbing his back soothingly.

“I… I am sorry, Jigen,” Goemon said between pants, trembling. “I… I failed you…”

“It’s okay,” he murmured into Goemon’s ear. “You didn’t fail me. It was just a nightmare.” 

“He broke your ribs,” Goemon stated, beginning to catch his breath again. 

“Yeah, but that’s nothin’. I’ve been hurt worse in the past,” he said. 

“Zantetsuken?” Goemon asked, glancing around the room.

Jigen pointed towards the kitchen area of the cabin where Zantetsuken lay on top of one of the cabinets. He felt Goemon’s shoulders relax, the tension easing from his muscles. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, Jigen holding Goemon close and smoothing back his hair, planting soft kisses on Goemon’s forehead as a silent reminder that all was okay. Goemon had an arm wrapped around Jigen’s waist, carefully resting his head against Jigen’s chest.

“Here, you should eat. Get your strength back,” he said, picking up the bowl and holding it to Goemon’s lips. “Slow sips.” 

Goemon pulled a face at the flavour, but continued to eat more. After a while of Jigen urging him, he finished the bowl. Much to Jigen’s relief, it seemed there was more colour in his cheeks after he was done. Jigen helped Goemon lay back down and set the bowl down on the bed-side table. He shoved his hands in his pockets, turning away from Goemon, staring at the wall opposite.

“Ya have nightmares a lot?” he asked, glancing back at Goemon. 

Goemon was silent for a moment. “I do not usually have dreams,” he said quietly. “This one was unpleasant. I dreamt that you had been killed and I could do nothing to prevent it.” 

“Well, I’m still alive an’ kickin’,” Jigen said, chuckling. He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck. “I just wanted to say, uh… Thank you, man. For protecting me, I mean.”

“You would do the same for me,” Goemon said. 

“Yeah. I would.” And he had. In the past, he’d run headlong into the most treacherous of situations to save Goemon, and he’d never once regretted that. He absentmindedly rubbed a scar on his arm, staring off at the wall once more. 

"Have you eaten?" Goemon said after a silence. 

Jigen nodded towards the saucepan in the middle of the room, still resting on top of the stove. 

“Eat,” Goemon said. “Do not feel obliged to stay by my side all night.” 

“Alright, I will,” Jigen said, tenderly smoothing Goemon’s hair back from his eyes, brushing his face with calloused fingers. He twisted around and lowered his face to kiss Goemon gently on the cheek. “So in the meantime, you get some sleep.” He stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Jigen, wait,” Goemon called. 

“Hm?” Jigen bent down to Goemon’s level. “What’s up?” 

“I appreciate you a lot,” Goemon said, face turning beet red. He averted his gaze and coughed awkwardly. 

Jigen smirked. “I love ya too, man.”


End file.
